*Inspiration versus envy*

This is a drawing I did called "The Uptown Arguement."

Envy is one of the biggest and most expensive distractions of life. It keeps us focused and spending billions on what we are not, rather than what we are. It makes us aware of what we lack rather than what we already have. It wreaks havoc on our self-image because it turns our attention away from our authentic selves and shuns us from the task of cultivating our own unique ways of being. Envy does not inspire us to be who we really are, but rather, it capitalizes on our superficial desire to imitate something we are not.

Envy seeks status and false rivalry, while it squelches the true flame of originality. To make matters worse, once envy gets a hold of us, it replicates itself quickly. Like a nasty little virus, it wiggles its way into our psyche and we find ourselves being its subservient host. Suddenly, we too, want to be enviable and superficially powerful. We want the object of envy to be us. Without fully realizing it, we then infect others, and before long we have an epidemic of envy on our hands.

However, there is a cure. It is called inspiration. While envy lures us into becoming false objects, inspiration motivates us to become innovative events. When a woman inspires us, we do not envy her, nor do we want to imitate her. We are not jealous of her--we are moved by her. She stirs a mysterious and wonderful feeling deep within us. This is because true inspiration works by positively reminding us that somewhere within ourselves there too is an equally valuable gift, talent, or unique way of being. You just have to pay close attention to what really moves you in others to discover these hidden gifts inside of yourself.

If you think you might have been infected by the epidemic of envy and have therefore become part of the problem and not the solution, please do the most responsible thing: Get tested!


Creative Strategy: The test

Write the names of all the women you have envied or continue to envy in your life. Now draw a representation of all the potential women those women that you envy, envy. Then all the potential women those women envy, and so on. Using a tree shape, show the way that envy branches out to epidemic proportions (you may have to use mural sized paper to get the full impact of this exercise)! See the negative way that envy multiplies and generates more of its ugly self? Why would you want to be part of such a huge and ugly epidemic? Wouldn't you rather be an inspiration to yourself and others?

Now, write the names of all the women who have inspired you or continue to be an inspiration in your life. Think all the way back to your early life and then up into the present. Remember all the girls and women along the way who inspired you. Remember how their lives, in whatever way, kindled a compassionate flame in your own heart. Now, pick one of these women from your list and write a letter expressing how she inspirered you. Then send it to her. You'll both really enjoy the experience.

Please note: If the person you want to send the letter to is from your past, this might give you a chance to find them again and reconnect (and it's easier than ever to find people now through the internet and various 'people-find' services). If the person you want to write the letter to is no longer alive, you could send it to someone else who knew her and was close to her. This would be a confirmation and celebration of how powerful and long-lasting inspiration actually is. If the person is a celebrity or 'out of your reach' in some way, be brave and send it anyway. If she's truly inspirational, she'll appreciate it.